Movement of a device between network layer 3 points of attachment can result in a layer 3 “handoff.” Layer 3 packets related to a service may then have to be transferred to the device via a new point of attachment. In the case of mobile access networks, delays involved in such a transfer can be significant. Further, such a delay can result in service interruption that may be perceived by an end user, and thus may negatively impact the end user's perception of the overall service quality.
Conventional approaches for “fast handoff” include: (i) layer 2 triggers, as provided in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) drafts and associated documents; (ii) anchoring techniques at a previous point of attachment, as also provided in IETF drafts and associated documents; and (iii) a hierarchy of points of attachment in an attempt to minimize an occurrence of a change of network layer 3 points of attachment, as seen in 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and 3GPP2, documents. However, these approaches involve a network attempting to provide a new point of attachment choice once the mobile device has determined, and the network has allowed, a new point of layer 2 attachment.